Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are committed to tackling the general issue of costs in respect of access to healthcare. We will be extending the free general practitioner, GP, care eligibility to children aged six and seven years across this year. As I said, we have reduced the drugs payment scheme threshold and, recently, there have been reductions in the monthly prescription costs that individuals and families face. We have provided dedicated funding of €30 million to ensure access for patients to new innovative medicines. The Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, has been clear that he is committed to addressing any eligibility anomalies or barriers to ensure the health system cares for those who are in the greatest need first.

I do not believe there are people out there who need access to our public healthcare system for cancer care who are not getting it because they cannot afford it. That is not-----

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